Foreign residents in GCC countries can now get a visa on arrival while entering Kuwait, according to a recent announcement by their Ministry of Interior. According to the decision, foreign nationals with a residency permit in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain valid are now eligible for visa-on-arrival services in Kuwait.

Earlier, foreign passport holders with a GCC residency card needed to obtain an e-visa before travelling to Kuwait .

Kuwait International Airport, on their website, say that GCC residents (except Iraqi nationals) will be issued with a tourist visa from the visas counter at the airport, which will be valid for three months. This is under instruction from the directorate general of immigration in ministry of interior.

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Here are the conditions that have to be fulfilled for a tourist to avail visa on arrival:

• The arriving passenger has to be from one of these professions: Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer, Teacher, Judge, Consultant, Members of Public Prosecution, University Teacher, Journalist, Press & Media Staff, Pilot, System Analyst, Pharmacist, Computer Programmer, Manager, Businessman, Diplomatic Corps, Owners, Managers & Representative of Commercial Companies & Establishments, University Graduates.

• The passenger should have a valid passport and not a temporary travel document.

• The passenger should be holding a passport and GCC residence permit valid for more than six months from the date of travel to Kuwait.

• The passenger should not be black listed in the state of Kuwait.

• The passenger should hold a return ticket.

• The passenger should register his residence address in Kuwait when applying for the visa at visas counter at the airport.

The regulations take effect immediately. In July 2025, Kuwait also launched a nationwide e-visa platform, covering tourist, family, business, and official visas.

Last month, it was announced that a unified tourist visa for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will be rolled out soon. This visa will allow foreign tourists to visit all six member states - the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait - on a single visa.

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